Tura, India - 26 January 2018 - On the occasion of the 69th Celebration of the Indian Republic, the administration of the Western Garo Mountains district, State of Meghalaya, awarded the posthumous "Special Prize" to the Italian Salesian missionary Fr Antonio Buccieri, acknowleging their "appreciation and recognition for his exceptional contribution to social services, the development of community, literature and religious brotherhood." Fr Buccieri (1913-1998) arrived in India in 1934 and served in the district of the Western Garo Mountains for over 25 years. He had the current Tura Cathedral and numerous educational centers built and contributed profoundly to the district's religious literature through his numerous writings and publications.